Rato Matysendranath’s ‘Bhoto Jatra’ (Photo Feature)

Kathmandu:  President Ramchandra Paudel has observed the Bhoto Jatra festival, a ritualistic festival dedicated to the Rato Matsyendranath, the deity of rain and bountiful harvest.

The President attended the Bhoto Jatra festival at Jawalakhel on Sunday and observed the ritual of displaying the Bhoto (the jewel-studded mythical vest believed to belong to the deity).

As part of this ritual, an employee of the Guthi Sansthan Lalitpur displayed the ‘Bhoto’ from the pinnacle of a chariot of the Rato Matsyendranth deity. It is a tradition to display the Bhoto on the fourth day the chariot of the deity is towed in a procession up to Jawalakhel from Lagankhel.

On the occasion, the head of the state paid homage to the Rato Matsyendranath deity and also partook in the prasad. He also paid obeisance to the living goddess Kumari on the occasion.

The chariot festival concluded today with the display of the Bhoto. Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli,  Speaker Devraj Ghimire, National Assembly Chairperson Narayan Dahal,  Deputy Prime Ministers, and ministers were also present on the occasion.

Many people had also gathered at Jawalakhel to observe the Bhoto Jatra festival.

(Glimpses of Rato Matsyendranath’s Bhoto Festival at Jawalakhel) 

(Photo Courtesy: Saroj Basnet)

Nepali version of the photo story